His First and Last Song
by thedoctorandriver
Summary: The title pretty much says it all - the first time River met him, and the last. Because their story is too good not to be told.


**_This is just something I had to write when I rewatched a few of the doctor/river episodes. Enjoy! And remember to review! :P_**

The Doctor stepped out of the TARDIS to see where she had brought him this time. He was standing in a large hall filled with students. At the front was a podium with a bald man doing a speech.

"Ah, graduation! Wonderful thing, graduation…" the Doctor rambled. This gave him some funny looks from the people sitting next to him but he didn't notice, as always. He sat down on one of the free chairs and waited expectantly for something to happen. The TARDIS wouldn't have brought him here otherwise.

"Melody Pond," the bald man at the front called out. The Doctor's hearts nearly stopped in shock. He watched as River made her way up to front and collected her degree. She sat back down amongst a group of shrieking girls. The Doctor couldn't see how River had anything in common with them.

When everyone had filed out, and finished doing all those crazy things like throwing their hats in the air (the Doctor didn't actually mind so much since he had caught one) he waited until he could catch River when she wasn't surrounded by those scary shrieking girls. They reminded him of the banshees they had on Balsoon. Horrible creatures. They could pierce your eardrums with one scream. Then he noticed River sitting down on a bench outside the graduation hall all on her own. Was she crying? The Doctor strode over quickly, hoping she wouldn't notice him first.

"Hello, sweetie," He said, stealing her line. To his surprise she looked up at him in shock. They obviously hadn't got that far yet.

"Who- who are you?" River, no, Melody – she didn't look old enough to be a River yet – asked.

These words, these simple words broke the Doctor's hearts twice over. Because now he knew how River had felt that day in the Library. The last few hours were spent with the love of her life not knowing who she was, not trusting her or loving her. It was just as bad for him. His wife was sitting there, staring up at him and didn't know who he was. He wiped a tear from his eye.

"Oh, sorry, I must have mixed you up with someone. I'm the Doctor. Care if I sit down here a bit?" the Doctor smiled sadly.

"Of course," Melody moved up on the bench and the Doctor sat down. She was still looking at him suspiciously.

"So, you've graduated?" the Doctor tried to make conversation. He didn't actually need to ask – he knew everything about her.

"Yep." Melody glanced at the Doctor. "I want to be an archaeologist when I'm older."

The Doctor barely held in his snort. He remembered his line from the Library. _I'm a time traveller. I point and laugh at archaeologists._

"I just don't think I'll make it. It's really hard to get good enough to become a professor," Melody confided, then looked slightly shocked that she had just told her inner problems to a complete stranger.

"Oh," the Doctor said. _If only you knew. _"I'm completely sure you'll get there. Everyone does in the end, eh?" Melody looked grateful, but not convinced. The Doctor smiled to himself. He wasn't used to seeing River so vulnerable. He was used to her having the upper hand.

"What's your favourite event in history?" the Doctor asked curiously, cocking his head.

"The Roman Empire," Melody answered immediately. It sounded rehearsed. She stared at the Doctor, trying to puzzle something out in her head. "You're not from here, are you?"

"Nope. I'm from Gal- Err, very far away." The Doctor smiled to himself. He was from very far away indeed, but this River wouldn't know that yet.

"No, I mean, you're not from this planet," Melody corrected herself. She looked like someone who knew they were right.

_Right, 51__st__ century... Did they already know about aliens here? Yes, so it was safe to tell the truth, _the Doctor thought quickly. "No, I'm not." He answered, enjoying watching the shock cross her face.

"If only you knew, Melody," he whispered to himself. He didn't expect her to hear him.

"How do you know my name?" she demanded, a bit of worry in her eyes.

The Doctor didn't want her to think he was some kind of crazy stalker so he decided to tell the truth again. "Err, you see, it's complicated. I know you, but you don't know me."

"Well, that's obvious!" she snapped. Then her eyes got wider as she realised. "Time travel..." she breathed.

"Exactissimo." The Doctor was relieved she had worked it out so quickly.

"So who are you?" Melody asked. Once again the question brought tears to his eyes. He hoped she hadn't seen them.

"I'm-" the words stocked in his throat as he threatened to start crying. "I'm the Doctor."

"Who are you to me?" Melody said impatiently.

"Spoilers," the Doctor choked out. So this was where River had got the word from. But he had only said it because she always said it to him – paradox.

Melody frowned and turned away. The Doctor knew this was far too early in her time stream. He also knew there would only be one other time he would see her. The singing towers of Darillium.

"I've got to go," the Doctor said. He couldn't cope with her not knowing who he was. Melody looked a little hurt as he stood up abruptly and walked off. He wanted to run back and kiss her, hug her, but he couldn't.

The Doctor clicked his fingers and the doors to the TARDIS opened. He closed them swiftly behind him and started typing in random coordinates even though he knew the TARDIS probably wouldn't take him there. There was a familiar wheezing sound as he landed. He threw open the doors and found himself in Stormcage. River was sitting on her bed, diary in hand. A single tear fell down and hit the blue cover.

The Doctor sneaked up on her, surprised she hadn't noticed he was there. He snaked his arms around her waist and picked her up. River let out a startled scream before she realised it was him.

"River," the Doctor said, hugging her tightly. He never wanted to let go.

"Doctor! You've got a haircut… and a suit! I like it!" River was surprised. Did that mean he hadn't visited her in a long time?

"All of time and space, choose anywhere. We'll go." The Doctor said fondly, brushing some of her golden curls from her face, letting the softness sink into his fingers for the last time.

"Wait a moment. Where are we? You obviously know me quite well, but- Have we done Asgard?" River asked hopefully. The Doctor nodded and her eyes filled with joy.

The Doctor held out his hand. The silver wedding ring matched the one River wore. She smiled. For once they were at the same point.

"I've always wanted to go and see... Darillium. What about that, sweetie?" River asked.

A sob broke out of the Doctor's throat. It was time. Time for her to go to the Library, and- No. He didn't want to think about it.

"Sweetie, are you alright?" River stroked his face gently. The Doctor nodded and wiped his tears away.

"Come one then, Darillium it is," the Doctor tried to say brightly, but the sadness in his words still came through.

They walked inside the TARDIS, and for once, he let River put on the stabilizers and type in the coordinates by herself.

"Sweetie, you can tell me. Whatever happened, I'll understand," River tried to console the Doctor.

"Not this, you can't," the Doctor opened the doors and led them outside. "Isn't it wonderful? The towers sing!" He turned a half-hearted pirouette, pointing at the hazy blue towers that could be seen rising over the grassy meadow they were standing on.

"It's beautiful," River breathed. The Doctor's hand took hold of River's and they stood there for a moment, just looking at the view.

"Wait here," the Doctor whispered, clumsily closing River's eyes with one hand. He wanted to make this last day the best day. He rushed into the TARDIS silently, and grabbed a picnic basket. Back outside, he put his hand over River's eyes once more and led her to the prettiest spot on Darillium – a little hill in between the towers. He set out the picnic on the soft grass and sat River down on his lap. Slowly, he lifted his hand.

River gasped. "Thank you, Doctor." She turned to him and kissed him on the lips. His hand pressed her closer and they were both lost for a moment. "I love you," She said seriously. This brought tears to the Doctor's eyes.

"River," he said sternly, looking her right in the eyes. "You need to know. Whatever happens, I love you. I will always love you."

River looked confused. "I know that sweetie. You know I know, Mr. Song," She grinned, trying to lighten the atmosphere. The Doctor just smiled, his eyes full of pain.

Later that afternoon, the Doctor peered over River's shoulder to see what she was writing.

The Doctor turned up on my doorstep, with a new haircut, and a suit. He took me to Darillium. The Towers sang and the Doctor cried.

He didn't want to see anymore. He touched his face. It was true, he was crying. He didn't want this woman, this wonderful, mad beautiful woman to die. This would be the last time – _stop it, Doctor, _He thought. _She would be ashamed of you, moping like this. _Her words from the Library echoed in his head. _Everybody knows that everybody dies, and no one knows it like the Doctor. _And here he was, wasting their last time together by crying.

The Doctor picked River up in his arms easily, and spun her around. She squealed with excitement, happy that the tears were gone, but she knew he was still sad inside.

"River, I've got something for you." The Doctor pulled out a small badge from his pocket. It was a little fez, with his real name and River's engraved on it.

River took it, and tears pricked her eyes as well. "I'll keep it. As long as I live."

The Doctor looked away quickly, not wanting her to see his face. Then he remembered the other thing he had to give her. He'd made it a few months ago, and it had been burning away in his pocket since.

"River," the Doctor said solemnly. He pulled out the sonic screwdriver and gave it to her. You'll need this more than me."

"Sweetie…" River looked up at him and smiled gently. "I love you."

When he dropped River back off in the prison, he didn't leave, but just sat next to her on the dingy bed. River looked around, then she seemed to remember something.

"Doctor," River told him excitedly. "Stormcage have agreed to let me out. I'm going on an expedition to this planet which is just one big Library! It's been deserted for over a hundred years and no one knows why... Sounds like something you'd like, doesn't it, sweetie?"

"I'll be there," the Doctor said, but the words sounded strange. He wished he could go back in time and sacrifice himself instead, but then nothing with River would ever have happened. He treasured their time together too much to save her. He was too selfish to let her live her life without knowing him.

Giving River a goodbye kiss, he embraced her. "River, my Song. Be brave. You have to remember that I will always love you." River could tell something was going to happen, but she knew the spoilers rule far too well to ask.

"I'll see you when I get back, then?"

The Doctor didn't reply, just went to the TARDIS and shut the doors. He knew what he had to do. Far away, on a beach in Utah, a NASA astronaut was waiting. He couldn't wait to get there.

**_Soz about the sad ending... but the whole river thing is sad already coz we know how she dies so i figured it wouldn't make such a difference if it was a bit sadder (is that a word?) please, please, review!_**


End file.
